Murder accused had history of abusing ex before stabbing her and their daughter: Crown

A man accused of murdering his ex-wife and attempting to murder their daughter in a 2021 stabbing in Nepean had ahistory of abusing his ex, who had called police and sought refuge in women's shelters multiple timesbeforecuttingall ties with him in 2020, the Crown alleged in its opening statement to a jury on Tuesday.

Hamid Ayoub, 63, is standing trial on charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder in Ottawa's Superior Court, andhas pleaded not guilty.

Before jury selection on Monday, the Crown rejected Ayoub's guilty plea to lesser charges of second-degree murder and aggravated assault, and forged ahead withthe more serious charges police hadlaid.

Nine women and three men make up the jury. They listened intently Tuesday as assistant Crown attorney Cecilia Bouzanerecounteda daylight attack outside a rowhouse on Baseline Road that left 50-year-oldHanadi Mohamed dead and her 22-year-old daughter critically injured.

They were returning home with groceries early in the evening of June 15, 2021, when it happened.

Mohamed was stabbed first, at least 23 times,before Ayoub turned the knife on theirdaughter, the Crown alleged.

'She played dead'

Mohamed died at the scenebut thedaughter survived and is expected to testify.CBC has agreed not to name her as she continues to heal mentally and physically, and worries being named in media coverage will harm her mental health.

Despite her horror, pain and shock, Ayoub's daughter"knew what she had to do to save her own life: she played dead," Bouzanetold the jury."She played dead despite the gruelling injuries she was suffering. Only then did he stop stabbing her."

Ayoubthen allegedly jogged to his nearby vehicle, leaving a trail of his own blood from a cut on his palm, and drove away, Bouzane said. He was arrested ina hospital while he was waitingto have the cuttreated.

With him was a "getaway bag," the Crown alleged,containing a passport, thousands of dollars, toiletries, an unopened tracking device and packaging for another device.

Bouzane alleged Ayoubhad earlier placed atracker in a vehicle used by the former couple's two adult children, knowing that it would to leadhimto Mohamed's home on Baseline near Woodroffe Avenue.

Their son discovered the devicein the vehicle nine months after the stabbings.

'Their mother lived in fear'

"This attack did not come out of nowhere," Bouzanetold the jury.

Ayoub's alleged abuse had resulted in a prior separation, multiple calls to police, and Mohamed seeking refuge in shelters to escape. On one occasion he had armed himself with a knife, Bouzane alleged.

"For most of the children's lives, their mother lived in fear about what he would do next," Bouzane said, adding that Mohamed managed to leave Ayoub for good in August 2020.

One of the calls to police came less than a month before the fatal attack, in May of 2021, afterAyoubconfronted Mohamed outside a restaurant just 300 metres from her home, Bouzane alleged.

He accused Mohamedof taking the children, whothe Crown said hadpulled away from their father after their mother cut ties with him in 2020. Mohamed eventuallyyelled for help andAyoubleft. Mohamed then called 911"terrified," Bouzane told the jury.

Audio fromthat 911 call and other details ofAyoub's past dealings with police isamong the evidence prosecutors Bouzane andLouise Tanseywill present.

None of the allegations against Ayoub have been proven.

Witnesses testify

Evidence began Tuesday with testimony fromwitnesses to the busy daytime scene on Baseline, including a womanwho lived in a neighbouring unit andheard screaming shortly after opening her window,and another who had just hopped into a vehicle operated by a ride-hailing service.

Both described seeingan altercation involving a man and two women and the man jogging away. After approaching the scene, both witnessessaw one woman lying motionlessand another on the ground, pleading for bystanders to help her mother.

The trial is scheduled to run five weeks until mid-October. Justice Kevin Phillips is presiding.

Ayoub's defence lawyersLeo Russomanno and Omar Abou El Hassanare expected to open their case in the coming weeks. They had no comment, citing the ongoing trial.